COVID-19: Three more ruling party MLAs in Odisha test positive

Bhubaneswar/Patnagarh/Kendrapada: Three more ruling party MLAs in Odisha today tested positive for the deadly COVID-19. In a tweet, Patnagarh MLA Saroj Kumar Meher announced his test reports mentioned he is positive for the virus.

Despite being asymptomatic, he is in home isolation as per the advice of doctors. He is doing well, the legislator further said in the tweet. Also, he requested the people who came in contact with him in last few days to get themselves tested, if required.

Kendrapara MLA and former Finance Minister Shashi Bhusan Behera also took to social media and declared he tested positive for the virus today. His health condition is stable.

BJD legislator from Baliguda, Chakramani Kanhar also tested positive for the virus.

BJD Spokesperson and Advisor to Women and Child Development Department Sulata Deo tested positive for COVID-19. In a tweet, Deo said she is in home isolation after getting positive for the virus.

Earlier in the day, Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts Minister Padmini Dian and Nabarangpur MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi were shifted to COVID hospital in Bhubaneswar after they complained of difficulty in breathing. Dian and Majhi tested positive for COVID-19 earlier last week.

So far 20 MLAs, including Bhubaneswar (North) legislator Susant Rout, Bhubaneswar (Central) MLA Ananta Narayan Jena, Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda, Chandbali MLA Byomakesh Ray, Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik have tested positive for the virus.

This apart, six Ministers, including Sushanta Singh, Tukuni Sahu and Arun Sahoo have contracted the virus.